Panther

[Joel_BC]

I have been searching for more trustworthy information on the subject. I hate to use Wikipedia as a reference, but these days the "real" encyclopedia sites charge you to access their info.

Yeah. I find Wikipedia often to be a good "first blush" source of info, but if I'm interested in a topic I usually look beyond it, too. I feel like Wikipedia is pretty good on some topics that I do know quite a bit about, and sometimes certain articles have questionable or very incomplete info, that are sometimes poorly written or edited too.

 

[Wannabefree]

once while taking a walk early in the morning i saw a rather LARGE black catlike critter crossing the road about 30-40 yards ahead of me. i knew it was not a domestic cat but was not sure that it was a panther. i mentioned this to a neighbor in the area and she had seen it as well as here sister in law whose property is adjacent to hers. then it was reported that two women reported seeing one in the general area. this area has two small lakes and deer are plentiful. i have no reason to doubt these reports after my own sighting. my cats at times did not want to go outside at all. that was about three years ago. the wildlife officials will believe if they see them. this took place in southwest tennessee just 10 miles north of the mississippi border. jon

Sounds like where i am...5 mi. north of MS state line. I have seen them around here as well. Wildlife officials...must be blind

 

[rhoda_bruce]

If they don't acknowledge their existance, then they don't have to act on anything. Its nice to live in the woods, but ....hmm, maybe there are draw backs.

 

[Joel_BC]

Wannabe, are you then talking about having seen a black-colored mountain lion? (CheerioLounge says onese with this color coat are are undocumented as existing in North America.) Just curious.

Me, I've only seen tan or greyish ones up here (western Canada).

once while taking a walk early in the morning i saw a rather LARGE black catlike critter crossing the road about 30-40 yards ahead of me. i knew it was not a domestic cat but was not sure that it was a panther. i mentioned this to a neighbor in the area and she had seen it as well as here sister in law whose property is adjacent to hers. then it was reported that two women reported seeing one in the general area. this area has two small lakes and deer are plentiful. i have no reason to doubt these reports after my own sighting. my cats at times did not want to go outside at all. that was about three years ago. the wildlife officials will believe if they see them. this took place in southwest tennessee just 10 miles north of the mississippi border. jon

Sounds like where i am...5 mi. north of MS state line. I have seen them around here as well. Wildlife officials...must be blind

 

[Wannabefree]

Yes, I am. They do exist.

 

[CheerioLounge]

Actually, a reference cited on Wikipedia says there have been no documented specimens. I personally believe that they're out there. I would love to turn New York City upside-down and see what "wild" animals fall out!

 

[the funny farm6]

i hear you can see all kinds of stuff in florida! monkeys, reptiles, and exotic birds.

 

[Denim Deb]

Yep, you can. They're having a real problem w/it. People get these animals when they're little as pets. Then, when they get to a certain size, they're no longer that easy to handle and are more work than the person was expecting, so they let them loose. They have breeding populations of some non-native species that are pushing the native animals out.

And actually, it's not a new problem. Years ago, someone wanted all the species of birds mentioned in Shakespeare's plays in the US. So, they released starlings. And, starlings are a big problem. Then there are those that are released accidentally, like gypsy moths. Or even plants brought in to stop erosion, like kudzu, or multiflora rose. While these plants and animals might not be a problem in terms of threatening our lives, they're still a problem.